Bulletin-board



(No Model.)

W. E. BENSON. BULLETIN BOARD.

No. 603,248. 'Patented May 3,1898.

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM nBENsoN, or KANSAS crrv, MISSOURI.

- BULLETIN-Buho.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'lil'o. 603,248, dated May 3, 1898., V Application filed January 24k, 1896. Serial No. 576,696. (No model.)

To LZZ whom t may concern'.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. BENSON, a citizen of the United States, residingat Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Bulletin-Boards; yand I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which vit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a bulletin-board especially designed for use 4of lodges,` clubs, churches, societies, and any organization having alist of members, also for directories for buildings, telephone-lists, and for other purposes; and the object that I have in view is to porvide a simple and inexpensive construction by which an alphabetical and numerical register is combined in such a Way that it will indicate at anyand all times an alphabetical list of members, -as well as the numerical strength ofthe organization or the like, and also to provide for; the convenient changing of the list of the members according as the number is increased or diminished.

With these ends in view andy such other ends as pertain to a device of this character my invention consists of a bulletin-board provided with vertical` parallelL guide strips adapted to contain columns of numbers in consecutive order, combined lwith one or more slidable cases or frames fitted between and within guide-strips and constructed to contain removable name-slips which are adapted to be brought opposite to the numbers in the columns on the guide-strips, and suitable means for holding the slidable cases or frames within the bulletin board; and the invention further consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,which will be hereinafter-fully describedand claimed.V To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciicatiomand in whichv Figure lis afront elevation of myimproved bulletin-board, showingv one of the movable slip-carrying cases partially withdrawn from the board. Fig. 2 is an end view looking at the lower end edge of the bulletin-board. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view through a portion of the bulletin-board te illustrate the detailcd'construction thereof.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bulletin-board.

for the reception of a corresponding number of vertically-slidable slip-containing cases B C D, although the number of spaces for the slip-containing cases may be increased or diminished according to the numerical strength of the organization, 85e. This board is surrounded by molding-strips b, and the Vertical spaces for the slip-carrying cases are formed by and between the vertical guide-strips c c c, which are parallel to each other and spaced far enough apart to accommodate between themselves the slip-carrying cases. To these vertical guide-strips c are fastened the numbered strips or plates d d, which are wide enough to extend beyond the guide-strips c, as shown by Fig. 3, and on the exposed faces of these numbered strips or plates are stenciled or otherwise inscribed the columns of numbers, as shown.

f The first plate or strip d to the left is shown by Fig. lV as having a column, of figures from l to 25, inclusive. n The second strip or plate d contains another column of Vigures,

vnumbered from 26 to 50, inclusive, and

so on throughout the width of the bulletinboard; but this arrangement and numbering is arbitrary and may be varied at pleasure.

The slip-carrying cases or frames B O D are so proportioned as to t snugly between the guide-strips c and under the number strips or, plates d, so that the slidable frames or cases are held and conned inplace between said strips and the back board, while the front sides of such cases or frames are open and exposed to view. I prefer yto -make' these s lidable frames or cases of sheet metal lwith -turned-over or fianged edges, as shown by-Fig. V3; but the material used andthe de- IOO by withdrawing the case from the lower or uppei` open side of the bulletin-board. To hold the slip-case in position, I prefer to use a suitable form of spring-catch, (indicated at E as having a suitable finger-piece or handle g) but the construction of this catch forms no part of my present invention, and any suitable form of catch may be adopted and used.

The names of the members, with or without their addresses, are inserted on slips or cards (indicated at F in the drawings) which are fitted or sprung within the fian ged cases or frames, so as to be held in place therein. Each card or slip F is so proportioned and arranged as to occupy a position at one side of and in line with the numerals on the strips d, and the number of slips or cards in one frame or ca se corresponds to the numbers 011 the strip d next to or over the frame or case, so that the total number of members of the organization can be easily ascertained by a glance at the bulletin-board. For convenience the names of the members are arranged in alphabetical order, and thus the total number of names and the name and address of any individual member can readily be ascertained by consulting the bulletin-board. As the name of each member is inscribed on an individual card, the cards can easily be changed or adjusted in the several cases or frames according to changes in the membership of the organization.

To protect the naine-slips from dust and dirt, as well as to prevent tampering with the cards or slips, I have provided a protective glass front consisting of panes of glass G, which are fitted against the numbered strips (l and are held or confined in place by means of the molding-strips 1I, which are secured to the strips d by means of glue or by screws that pass between the edges of the glass panes G, and thus serve to clamp the glass panes securely in position. The vertical molding-strips II are joined at top and bottom to the horizontal moldings I, and these moldings serve to impart a finish to the exposed front of the bulletinboard- The bulletin-board may be ornamented or finished in any approved style, and it may have the eyes J or other devices for suspending it on a wall.

It is thought that the mode of using and the advantages of my bulletin-board will be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings.

I am aware that changes and alterations in the form and proportion of parts and in the details of construction of the devices herein shown and described as the preferred embodiment of my invention may be made by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make such modifications as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Vhile I have described the bulletin-board as provided with vertically-slidable slip-carrying cases guided between guide-strips as the preferred construction, yet I am aware that the slip-carrying ease can be made stationary within the bulletin-board and provided with a hinged glass door.

IIaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The bulletin-board herein shown and described comprising the stationary frame having a closed back, parallel guide-strips c fixed to said back and within the frame, numberplates attached to the guide-strips and inscribed with columns of figures in consecutive order, glass front or fronts fastened to said stationary frame and the guide-strips by suitable devices, a series of vertically-slidable cases confined edgewise between the guidestrips and laterally between the back and number plates, and name-slips removably fitted in said cases, a series of such naine-slips being provided foreach case and each slip arranged in alinement with one figure in a column on 011e number-plate, all arranged and combined for service as set forth.

2. A bulletin board comprising a back, a series of guide-strips attached thereto, a series of number-plates of greater width than the guide-strips and fastened to the latter to project beyond the edges thereof and serving, in connection with the back, to confine the sliding cases against lateral displacement, and the glass-front panes fastened to the number-plates, combined with a series of slidable cases fitted edgewise between the guidestrips and laterally between the back and the projecting edges of the number-plates, and name slips or cards fitted in the slidablc cases, substantially as described.

3. A bulletin-board comprising a back, a series of guide-strips attached thereto, a series of number-plates of greater width than the guide-strips and projecting, at their edges, beyond the same to serve in connection with the back as guides to confine slidable cases against lateral displacement, the glass-front panes arranged over the number-plates, the molding-strips applied over thc edges of the glass-front panes, and the fasteners passed between the edges of the glass-front panes and holding the moldings, the glass panes, and the number-plates on the back, combined with a series of slidable cases fitted cdgewise between the guide-strips and laterally between the back and the projecting edges of the number-plates, means for locking said cases in a detachable vertical position, and removable cards or slips carried by the slidable cases, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. BENSON.

lVitnesses:

HARRY M. Srnrnnss, W ILLIAM K. EVERINGIIAM.

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